Africa: A Paradox

Despite its many resources, there still remains a lack of opportunity, a lack of affordable schooling, housing and healthcare in Africa. Not only is it mostly uneducated, but broken spirited. Often looking in at the West and its luxuries, there is a sense of resentment. Therefore the question remains, is it the presence of the West in the African economy that has lead to this feeling? Maybe the regions lack of education and vast resources are being taken advantage of by the West? Since the days of colonialism, it has been the obligation of the West to support former colonial territories in relation to development. Social, political and economic structures have been set up, however Africa was not trained on how to manage and develop its resources. As a result, Africans and their leaders have lost confidence in themselves, this is mainly due to failures, such as mismanagement of public funds. Consequently, the continent is now too reliant on the support of the West. In a world were the survival of the fittest approach is ever present, this sense of vulnerability on Africas part is most defiantly not to its advantage. Accordingly, Africa is a paradox; it is a region of tremendous wealth and natural resources, which in many cases are the global resource of such minerals, yet at the same time, it suffers from crippling poverty and hunger, despite its surplus food supply. Kwame Nkrumah supports this as he says: Africa is a paradox which illustrates and highlights neo-colonialism. Her earth is rich, yet the products that come from above and below the soil continue to enrich, not Africans predominantly, but groups and individuals who operate to Africas impoverishment. Based on this, we may argue that the support of the West must change. Instead of spoonfeeding Africa, through methods such as Fair-trade, we must educate and empower Africans, particularly their youth for a better, brighter Africa. Aid is in fact dead and must be replaced by moral support and guidance. It is the job of organisations such as YOUTH DEVELOPMENT GHANA to achieve this. Onsse Hassan,